Job coaches help ITE students with special needs thrive in internships

SINGAPORE – Standing when others are standing, dressing neatly for work, and asking for permission before taking a break – these may seem like basic workplace behaviour for many.

But for some, learning such conduct requires time and reinforcement.

For 19-year-old Rahmad Nelson Muhammad Edy, who was born with autism, having a job coach made all the difference in his transition from student to working intern. During his six-month internship at Conrad Centennial Singapore as part of his Higher Nitec in Retail and Online Business course at the Institute of Technical Education (ITE), his job coach’s guidance helped him navigate workplace norms and expectations.

As a member of the hotel’s room service crew, Mr Rahmad was tasked with serving food and drinks to guests and managing inventory. He found the responsibilities overwhelming at first.

“There are many things expected of you, like managing the stock, being diligent and preparing guests’ orders in 30 minutes,” said Mr Rahmad, who had no prior work experience.

To prepare him for his internship, Mr Zuriat Rashid, 44, a life skills coach and trainer at Inclus – a social enterprise that supports workplace integration for people with disabilities – conducted a two-day workshop to teach him about appropriate workplace behaviour and how to communicate effectively with others.

He continued to provide Mr Rahmad with guidance and support throughout his internship.

The initiative is part of the ITE-SG Enable Internship and Employment Support programme, which was announced by Second Minister for Education Maliki Osman during the debate on the Education Ministry’s budget on March 6.

Launched as a pilot in mid-2024, the programme prepares ITE students with special needs for the workforce through training in workplace communication, resume writing, and interview preparation. After being placed in internships or jobs, students receive continued mentorship from job coaches.

So far, about 100 students have benefited. There are plans to expand the intake to 250 annually.

Navigating workplace expectations

Beyond acquiring job-related skills, Mr Rahmad also had to learn to regulate his emotions at work.

“At times, he had to stand for long periods, and when he got tired, he felt frustrated – it showed on his face,” said Mr Zuriat. “These are common challenges we work on with students, so they can adapt to workplace expectations.”

For students with autism, understanding unspoken social norms at work can be difficult. Behaviours that are acceptable at home may not translate well in a professional setting, making job coaching crucial for them.

“It’s difficult to wean them off these habits. That’s where coaches can come in, to put in place strategies slowly, progressively, to help them. And as we do that, we also monitor their progress,” said Mr Zuriat.

While providing support is important, Mr Zuriat said that students with special needs eventually need to develop independence through practice in the absence of their job coaches.

“One of the things that we try to do in the first week itself is to identify the key personnel that can provide natural workplace support,” he said, adding that it is important to educate co-workers about strategies they can use to work and communicate with individuals with special needs.

By the end of his internship, Mr Rahmad had grown in confidence. His supervisor noted that he contributed positively during department training sessions, actively participating and answering questions correctly.

“Any small change is still good change,” said Mr Rahmad, who said that job support like this is important for students like him so they do not get overwhelmed by new work experiences, and are able to complete their internships successfully.

Said Mr Zuriat: “This is the time for them to make mistakes. It is still okay, as they get to learn from them before they enter the workforce.”

Overcoming communication barriers

For 18-year-old Hriday Thirumuru, the challenge was different. Born deaf in one ear and with only partial hearing in the other, he was initially anxious about communication in the workplace.

A student in ITE’s Higher Nitec in IT Applications Development programme, Mr Hriday worried that his difficulty in following fast-paced conversations would hold him back.

“Growing up, I was not able to listen to many people talking at the same time, and I was not able to catch up when people talked too fast,” said Mr Hriday, recounting his primary and secondary school experience. While he has learnt to overcome these challenges by improving his focus when people are speaking, he was worried about communicating in a workplace.

During his internship at Chrysalix – an inclusive information technology firm – from July to December 2024, Mr Hriday took on tasks such as software installation and hardware troubleshooting.

His job coach, Ms Hillary Lim, 29, from research and technology non-profit Trampolene, provided on-site support to help him adapt.

“Apart from learning how to communicate with my colleagues, supervisors and clients, I also picked up organisational skills,” Mr Hriday said, adding that he learnt to prioritise tasks to improve efficiency.

According to Ms Lim, he lacked confidence at the beginning of his internship and second-guessed his work, frequently asking others for validation. But with time, he grew more independent, even taking on leadership roles.

“This was a new experience for him as he’s no longer working by himself, but with others and for others as well,” she said, adding that he had to get used to being held accountable for his mistakes by his supervisors and clients.

Ms Lim said that Mr Hriday has since grown in confidence as he participated in office activities such as putting together office furniture, and even designing a guide on how to get to the office space in the Mapex building from Marymount MRT Station.

Ms Lim echoed the need for inclusive workplace education, noting that it can be isolating for individuals with special needs at a workplace.

“We bridge the gap between employer and employee by acting as the middleman,” she said. “Our goal is not just placement, but long-term career progression and continuous improvement.”